I have been requested to include recollections from
various personnel that have either worked on the SR-71 or have been closely
associated with the program through support operations. Bear in mind that
the SR-71 could have never flown had it not been for the expertise of personnel
in a wide variety of specialties in the U.S.Air Force and civilian industry.
These include but are not limited to KC-135Q Refueling Support, Air Traffic
Controllers, Security Policemen, Base Fire Suppression Support, Medical
personnel, Lockheed Technical Support, Physiological Support Division (PSD)
and a vast array of top notch people that expended that extra effort to
insure the success of the program. If you have been associated with the
Blackbird Program and wish to share something with others, please feel
free to Sign the Guest
Book . Do not send any classified information
(The U.S. Government has been assigned that task and will declassify information
as necessary).

Leland Haynes, MSgt USAF (Ret) Webmaster,
SR-71 Blackbirds

There are now Nineteen
total web pages that comprise the"SR-71 Alma Mater and Recollections of the Past"

The original web page (the one you are on now) had grown to
over 3 Megs in size. To expedite your Browser loading, I have divided the
"Guest book" Entries into Chronological year groups by dates the
e-mail was received:

The first year group starts in 1996 and includes the year
1997 (this page)

Great Web Site. I have been looking for something like this for a
long time!! I worked on the SR-71 from 1974 until retirement in 1990 as
a hydraulic systems specialist (Bubble Chaser). Most of that time 1979-1984,
1985-1990 was at Detachment 1, Kadena. Commanders like Cols.
Samay, Tom Allison, and Lee
Shelton, Supervisors such as CMsgts Joe Sheehan,
Mike
Turek and others too numerous to mention made it the "BEST" assignment
in the Air Force.

There are so many memories such as North Korea firing on a SR flying
in South Korea, the Giant Scale Missions flown over the Middle East in
search of Silkworm missles, to the crash off the coast of the Phillippines
in 1987 or 1988. Thank you for this great sight and am looking forward
to many visits .

I'm designing my web page and plan to include links to places I've
been, lived, or worked during my AF career. I trained SR-71 aircrews in
communications and stuffed their flight packets with comsec documents from
'76 to '77 at Beale. I worked in a cubicle in the 9th SRW Intel vault and occasionally
worked midshift in the command post during real world recon
(in case the crew somehow screwed the comm pooch). Really enjoyed my time
there and felt I was truly among professionals. Perhaps we met? I can't
remember much of anyone back then. I'll be linking my page to yours, though!

I was In 903rd Air Refueling Sq at Beale as crewmember from Aug 59
to July 64, PCS to ACSC for one year then back to 903rd for duty on squadron
staff as scheduler, squadron navigator, and plans and programs officer.
Also rotated TDY to Kadena with Bill Inman and
Bill
Spacy as Tanker Task Force Navigator for Q model task force in support
of A-12 May 67 - Jun 68) and SR-71 March 68 - Nov 71). (Note: Dick
Byrne replaced Bill Inman in rotation schedule when Bill Inman retired
in 68 or 69.) I finally left Beale in Aug 72 for SAC HQ assignment. A good
friend of mine was in 9th Wing maintenance in the late 60s - early 70s
- WO Bill Leger. Do you remember him?

Great page! I was a supervisor and Crew chief on SR's from Mar '85
until they closed the program. I've been on U-2's ever since and I retire
next month from here at Beale AFB. I enjoy visiting your site. Keep up
the good work.

I went to work on the original A-12 project in July 1960 after graduating
from engineering school. I worked on the original Hamilton-Standard inlet
control system. Although it was subsequently replaced by an electrical
Airesearch control, our system was on the first Mach 3 flights including
all the YF-12 record flights. Until I left the project in 1964, I had the
opportunity to work with a number of Kelly's
best engineers including Ben Rich, John
Cadrobbie, Elmer Gath, and Dave
Campbell.

I remember the first time I saw the ship. I had been in Burbank working
on the hydraulic system simulator at the "Fort" and one of our tech reps
asked me if I wanted to see her. I said of course, and in just a few minutes
I was inside the assembly area and I fell in love at first sight. And,
nearly 40 years later, I am still in love with her. Not only the incredible
lines, but also the details of her insides. The hydraulic systems, the
engines, fuel transfer systems, astro-inertial navigation system etc. Everywhere
I looked was something new.

I could tell a lot of early stories, and maybe someday I'll try to
relate some of them.

Congratulations on a truly magnificent site, and my hats off to all
those other "alumni"-those who flew her and those who kept her in the air.
You are truly among the best.

I was a crew chief on the F-4's in Ubon RTAFB fro Oct 69 thru Oct
70 . I was using my dream sheet & asked to be stationed @ Beale which
was 60 miles from home in Chico, CA & got lucky. I was assigned to
the 9th until I got out in Aug 71. I then attended CSU, Chico & joined
the Army Reserve as a Drill Sgt. I then applied for & was accepted
to Army Officer Candidate School in 75. I then went on to be a lifer in
the Reserve Forces & retired in 93 as a Major. My tenure in the USAF
& particurarily in the 9th brings fond memories of the guys that were
there @ that time. I would be interested in the opportunity to join the
SR-71 Alumni association & am looking for a Mach 3+ patch for my collection
since leaving the organization. Also, I am quite new at this webpage thing
only purchasing a computer on 15 Dec 97. I really enjoy it & the information
that is available.

Enjoyed your page. I was assigned to the 9th AMS Photo Shop as an
Avionic Sensor Systems Technician at Beale from 1982-1985, during that
time I went TDY many times, including several trips to Det 1. I was assigned
to Det 1 from mid-1985, until I left the AF in 1987. It was a great time
in my life and I met a lot of great people. Reading the comments here brings
back a lot of memories. Keep up the good work!

I first saw a Blackbird in June, 1962 when I reported for work at
the Lockheed factory in Burbank for my summer job. Various members of my
family had been employed at Lockheed since 1943 and I was well versed in
the stories of the "Skunk Works." Kelly Johnson's
name was always spoken in our household in tones of reverential awe. My
job was in Production Control working for Jerry Day,
a legendary supervisor in his own right. I believe we didn't have any designation
for the most sophisticated, sexiest plane the world has ever seen except
to call it the "ship." Turns out the black plane I started working on was
#2, the first one having left the factory three months before for testing
at the mysterious "ranch." I was in love all summer long. During my breaks
I would climb to the fourth floor of the factory and look down on that
lovely graceful shape--the silhouette reminding me of a champagne glass.
I worked on ships #2, 3, 4, and 5 before I left to go back to college.
I've always speculated what would have become of my life had I stayed.
Twelve years later I moved to a farm in northeastern Pennsylvania and became
good friends with my neighbor, Otis Hudson.
His son, Jim Hudson had been a blackbird pilot
before he was killed in a T-33 accident in March of 1971. Otis always would
tell me that being an SR-71 pilot was the crowning achievement of his sons
life.

For the last 2 decades I have been living in New York City, working
for CBS News. In the early 1990's I read that the Intrepid Museum was going
to be given a blackbird for display. I was excited to see the plane I had
not seen since 1962. Imagine my surprise to discover the plane parked on
that old aircraft carrier was ship #2, the very first plane I had worked
on 30 years previously, now permanently parked seven blocks from my apartment.
It all goes to show that it is a small world indeed, and you're never far
away from your first love.

Fantastic Page! I first became involved with the Blackbird when I
was assigned to the 9th AMS SR-71/T-38 Automatic Flight Control Systems
shop as shop supervisor. After 7 years as a recruiter, I came in as a MSgt
who didn't know his a** from his elbow as far as the SR-71 autopilot system
went. Additionally, I had been away from all the paperwork required in
maintenance. Fortunately, I had TSgt Ken Blanchard
working
for me. What he didn't know about the Blackbirds autopilot and inlet control
systems hadn't been discovered yet! Thanks to his instruction I was able
to learn about inlet systems (?!*%X), MRS (Mission Recorder System) tapes
and how to read ourdata. By the time we started converting from the analog
system to theDigital Automatic Flight, Inlet Control System (DAFICS), I
had learned enough from Ken to 'really' run the shop. Of course we also
had the guidance of our Honeywell Tech Reps, Lyle
Dahl (on Site), and Tim Wilmering coming
up from Palmdale just about every time we hollered for help. After Ken
got promoted to MSgt, I moved up to branchchief and then came SACs ROLS
(Resource Oriented Logistics System), and I was lucky enough to stay in
the 'Black World' as the avionics flight chief in OMS, working with some
of the 'old heads' like Chief Darl Miller.
It was a very sad day when they retired the Blackbirds,and I wish I could
have been at the ceremony.

Again, fantastic web page, and I hope to see more people I worked
with on this page.

It was good to find your web page on the SR. I was in 9th supply
from Spring '68 till August '71. I really like the page and have kept up
over the years with the SR and its comings nad goings. My son Jason is
currently an entry level engineer with Lockheed working on the F-22 program
and seems to have gotten his interest in aerospace from my experiences
at Beale and Kadena.

I hope you can help me. I had an OL-8 patch which he lost sometime
over the years and he recently mentioned that he would love to have another
one. I have searched in various military memorabilia sites with no luck.
If you know where I could get a replacement patch to give to him I would
be grateful.

I was stationed at Beale and Kadena 1979-1986 as a Jet Engine mechanic,
and Q/C- Q/A inspector. I knew many fine people including Msgt
Bob Olsen and Msgt Bob (blue) Callow my
Ex-husband.I was lucky to work on not only the SR-71 but also the U-2/
TR-1.I live in Alabama now close to the Space and Rocket center and was
really happy to visit and see many people I had worked with on the video
they show at the SR display.I am interested in finding out about a pilot
Col.
Glasser he was one of the best guys. I hope he went on to bigger
and better things. Also anyone stationed at Kadena in 80-83 (I think).
I do miss the airplane and the great people that worked on it. We were
a special breed!

Sun,
9 Nov 1997 19:54 Delighted to discover your website --- by way of introduction,
I'm retired from Lockheed (at least temporarily) and was the "funeral director"
in 1990 when 972 was flown from Palmdale to Dulles for the Air & Space
Museum. (Tom Pugh handled the aeronautical
and technical portion of the Dulles end of the mission; I handled the logistics
and the press.)

I've been sitting here fulminating today (Nov. 9th) about the fact
that every time we seem to need an SR-71 in the Middle East, someone seems
to have just recently killed the program. Who knows what the next 72 hours
will bring? Nice to see some accurate information being passed around.
Only someone like you, who's been with the program, would know some of
the nonsense I used to hear at airshows.

Thu,
30 Oct 1997 16:29 I just happened to come across this web sight and was
delighted to find other ex-blackbird personnel that cherish their expeience
with the world's fastest aircraft in the same manner as I cherish mine.
I was stationed at Beale AFB from April 1981 to March 1985 and was in the
9th AMS- Inertial Navigation shop. My primary was on the SR-71 Astro-Inertial
navigation and AHRS. I also worked on the U-2/TR-1 and KC-135. I was lucky
enough to be one of our shop Inflight Technicians that rode the Tankers
for troubleshooting Avionics anomalies. I was a member of the SAC Bomb-Nav
Competition team that won "Best KC-135 Crew in 1983 and "The Navigation
Trophy" in 1984. In 1983 I represented the 9th Strategic Reconn. Wing and
Won the 14th Air Division "Maintenance Airman of the Month".

I continually take pride in being one of the few that have had the
blackbird experience. Those were great days for me and will always be at
the forefront of my memories. In fact, if I close my eyes and relax I can
feel the late afternoon western sun on my back, smell of burnt jet fuel
mixed with the distant smell of peaches, as I'm stradling the SR-71 behind
the rear canopy and enjoying being a part of the world's most elite aerospace
team. Thanks for the Memories.

Wed,
22 Oct 1997 01:06: I Served in Beale's Physiological Support Division (PSD)
1970-71 [AFSC 92270B], doing the maintenance on SR-71 aircrew suits, helmets
and associated gear, then dressing and undressing the crew and [much to
their chagrin when we called it that] "installing" the crewmembers in the
HABU. Trailed them out to the departure end of the runway in the Aztec
motor-home (with the recliner seats for crewmen, air-conditioning, etc.,
etc.), then picked-them up on the ramp after they de-planed. They were
usually anxious to get out of the bird and out of the suits, so we PSD-types
didn't have to "de-install" them - the crew-chief usually helped them unstrap
everything, attach the portable cooling units, then lead them down the
steps to the Aztec. Wound up as the Chief of Aircrew Life Support Ground
Training (or something like that) in the PSD building -- had my own full-sized
mock-up of the SR-71 cockpit to teach or refresher-train crew members in
ground-escape and ejection procedures. Also did similar training for VIPs
who rated a ride in the big black bird, after they did their mandatory
stint in the altitude chamber in the pressure suit. Do remember Lt.
Don Towner, son of the (then) USAF Surgeon General, who was the
Physiological Training Officer/Altitude Chamber Officer; also when he broke
his leg badly in a sky-diving accident - believe he's still sky-diving.
Also remember TSgt Ouzts (had served with
him earlier at Nellis), also in PSD.

Left PSD and cross-trained into Disaster Control while still at Beale,and
ultimately finished my career in that, with last duty assignment at HQ
8AF/DO, Barksdale AFB LA, as Chief of Disaster Preparedness & Airbase
Operability. Now working for Pima County as Human Resources Supervisor
in Classification/Selection.

Feel free to edit/post the above info on your BEAUTIFUL webpage!
And send along info on the Alumni Group, please!

Thu,
16 Oct 1997 00:05 Hi Great Web Page. I served with the 9th SRW in the Mission
Development Branch from 1980 thru 1983. I served under Col
Tom Pugh when he was Wing Commander. And worked directly for L/C
Jack Veth. I scheduled missions for all three airframes stationed
at Beale at that time the SR71, U2R and the T38 which was used as a companion
trainer. I never passed up the chance to stand outside Wing HQ and watch
the sled take off. One of the highlights of my time there was being involved
with the planning of SR71 missions in support of the first space shuttle
launch.

Wed,
15 Oct 1997 18:29 I had occasion to visit your web site recently. Very
well done, especially the Alma Mater section. It brought back great memories
of a very unique program with some very special people. I shall always
value the experience and friendships. I have recently retired from the
Skunk Works and relocated to Bainbridge Island, Washington. Over 25 years
of special memories from Ops at Beale with the 1st/99th SRS, OL-8, RK and
KA, 1970-1972, Flight Test at Palmdale, Det. 51, 1973-1978, Ops and Command
of 9SRW, 1979-1983, and Skunk Works Flight Test Manager, U-2/SR-71, 1984-1997.
Looking forward to future updates to the Web Site.

Sat,
11 Oct 1997 20:57: My association with the Blackbird began at Eglin AFB
in the summer of 1966. As an A3C, apprentice Fuels Specialist with the
3210 Supply Sq. , I was assigned to the Bulk Fuels Facility Testing Lab
for training. I was volunteered to take part in a special project which
entailed taking up some early Saturday morning hours. We would put our
testing equipment in the pick-up and drive into the Climatic hanger and
wait close to a refueling truck. A strange looking aircraft taxied into
the hanger, piloted by a civilian. After the shut down procedures were
accomplished, the crew chief would connect the fuel hose. We then completed
our tests and the aircraft was refueled. The aircraft, after some more
procedures, was launched. I took part in this project, as I recall, three
times. This strange aircraft was the YF12A. My next experience with the
Blackbird took place at Beale AFB. I had been assigned to Beale after a
tour of duty at Naha AFB, Okinawa. At Beale, I was assigned to the 456
Supply Sq. Refueling Section. I was at Beale AFB from Sept. 1968 thru May
1969. As a Buck Sgt. I worked primarily the swing shift, although we were
responsible for refueling all the aircraft at Beale, the SR71 was by far
my personal favorite. Please send me any information on the association
and feel free posting this information to the web page. Thank you/

Thu,
25 Sep 1997 15:56 Thanks for your website. I worked at Palmdale for 7+
years in the flight test and depot repair programs. I was a flight control
tech rep. I'd get to make 5-6 trips TDY to the DETs to cover our reps vacations,
make mods, troubleshoot hangar queens, etc. You may have known our rep
(and an old friend) at Beale, Lyle Dahl. The
last day that I worked on the program was magical. I was in the hangar
for a launch at Beale, the sun was setting through wispy clouds, and the
exhaust made everything wavy and unreal. It was a true Kodak moment. (Preflight
BIT even passed!) I'm still in love with the Blackbird. My offices at home
and work are covered with pictures to this day.

Thanks for the memories. I'll come back here from time to time.

Did you ever consider setting up a chat site to go along with your
page? There are sure to be more old friends and good stories out there.

Sat,
20 Sep 1997 20:15 I visited your web site and it brought back such fond
memories of the people as well as the plane and I saw you had a Alumni
page. That was icing on the cake. I worked at Beale and went TDY to Kadena
numerous times. I worked in the Instruments shop from 77-81 and then went
on to Lockheed for a year, until the L1011 layoffs. I still miss working
on the Sr-71 and U-2 all the time. Some of my best days were spent with
the personnel of Beale A.F.B. and the SR-71 crews of Kadena. I was known
as Bobby G.for
any of you who might remember me drop me a line at:

Sun,
14 Sep 1997 20:16:Worked at Det 6 from 1981 through the retirement of the
SR. I am a great fan of the Aircraft and also a team member. Would like
to say hello to all the old DET 6 people, SRW people, the DET 6 FT people
and anyone who kept the most remarkable machine in history flying for all
these years. Det 6 rarely gets a mention, but under Col.(RET)
Don Emmons we worked our tails off to kept the Blackbird flying
logistically and deserve a piece of the History.

Fri,
05 Sep 1997 15:36: My name is Chuck Price
and I am a retired Lockheed "Conehead" (1966-1996) which is what we Avionics
flight test engineers were called. I had the pleasure of working with the
SR-71 at Palmdale Ca. from 1984 until its initial retirement including
the final speed run to Washington DC. Lt. Col. Joe
Vida, now deceased, was the RSO and Lt. Col.
Ed Yieldingwas the pilot on that flight.
Don't know it your knew Col. Tom Pugh or not.
He is a former BAFB commander and SR pilot. When he retired from the air
force he came to work at Lockheed and was the flight test manager at Palmdale
while I was there. He is now retired from Lockheed and will be residing
in Washington State. In addition to SR-71 flight test, which was an ongoing
effort till the end , we also did all the development flight testing for
the U-2. It was a great time! Thank you for the great web site! It is one
I will bookmark for sure!

Wed, 20 Aug 1997 21:10 Chuck Walton, MSgt USAF (Ret)Writes:
I
first got into the SR-71 program in late 1971 and worked it until shutdown
of Kadena in 1990. They were the best years of my career. I was a sensor
system tech and worked on the PIP, CAPRE, and ASARS side looking radar
systems at Beale, Kadena and other TDY sites. I was fortunate enough to
receive a taxi ride in one of our birds on Kadena while congress and SAC
had us down from flying missions just prior to the shutdown in 1990. I
will never forget the thrill I felt when the pilot fired up the engines,
I had sat in on many engine runs but when the crew chief closed the canopy
I knew this was something special. We taxied out of the hanger and out
to the end of the runway where we did all of the normal pre-flight engine
run-up procedures then requested clearance to return to the T-hanger. To
my delight a flight of F-15s were taxing out so we couldn't return by the
taxi way. The pilot requested a high speed taxi down the runway and got
clearance, so we moved out and lined up on the runway. He ran up the engines
and released the brakes. I know we weren't going all that fast but it sure
seemed like it to me. The Det only got to give out two of these rides,
mine and one for the radio shop tech rep. I really thank Col.
Lee Shelton for the opportunity and memories. You have a great page
and I sure would love to hear from any of the guys and gals who worked
on the best planes in the world.

Fri,
15 Aug 1997 16:31: Chuck Miller, Lt. Col. USAF (Ret)
Writes:
I was assigned to the 903rd
AREFSq from 1968 to 1973 and was an aircraft commander, IP and eventually
Chief Instructor Pilot for the Tanker Pilot Upgrade Program at Beale. The
last several months before my reassignment, I was 456th Bomb Wing Chief
of Safety, when I was re-assigned to a NATO Exchange Assignment with the
Canadian Armed Forces flying their B-707-320C aircraft and developing the
Canadian inflight refueling capability with the addition of Beech 1080
air refueling (hose/drogue) stores with the Canadian F-5 receivers. During
my tour ar Beale I spent over 60 weeks TDY with the Habu's at Kadena, and
still have many fond memories of the exciting years of the SR missions
in support of SEA. If you feel so inclined, I would love to see you add
an "Alma-Mater" link where some of former SR operators and supporters could
"reconnect" via the Internet. We could add a lot of interesting "hangar
tales" to your repertoire!

Here is another somewhat lengthy anecdote from my
SR-71 experiences.

17 Aug 1998 17:49

Since the beginning of SR-71 operations at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, (around
1967??) the OL-8 tankers had been pretty autonomous in their operations,
reporting to the command and control authority of the OL-8 (SR-71) Detachment
Commander and tasked through him by the same tasking authority as the SR-71.
However, by mid-1971, the 376th Strategic Bomb Wing at Kadena had gradually
eroded our shield of autonomy and we were periodically tasked to support
Arc Light (B-52) missions when not otherwise committed to OL-8 missions.
We also became more and more under the 376th Wing’s administrative control
which frequently added to the confusion of determining "who’s the boss"
to which we were responsible.

In the late fall and winter of 1971, during one of my 6 week TDY
tours while on a crew rest day, I received a puzzling phone call in my
quarters. It was from the 376th Wing crew scheduler advising me that my
crew and I had been scheduled by them to fly a priority mission early the
next day. At first I thought they had mistaken me for another "Capt. Miller",
since I was unaccustomed to being scheduled by them. They verified that
they knew I was assigned to OL-8 and that their mission tasking was correct
— I had been selected because I was an instructor pilot (though just newly
upgraded) and that I was the most qualified crew commander available from
the OL-8 for this high priority mission.

Upon reporting to the pre-mission meeting at the Wing before dawn
the next day, my crew and I were informed that we had been tasked for a
mission carrying a "Code 3" VIP (Ambassador-level) passenger and team from
Kadena to Kimpo AB, Seoul, Korea. This mission was highly classified and
the briefer could not even identify who the Code 3 passenger was (he would
be brought directly to the aircraft).

As I learned later in the mission, an SR-71 experiencing mechanical
problems had aborted its mission and diverted to a precautionary landing
in South Korea for the second time in less than a week (during a time when
the US was publicly denying that any SR-71s were operating in SEA). After
the first diversion, the US Ambassador to Korea was placated with a brief
message, but after the second the SR-71 parent organization, the 9th SRW,
felt it was necessary to provide the Ambassador with a complete briefing
on the missions and circumstances. The OL-8 Commander, in response to 9th
SRW tasking had set up an OL-8 tanker mission to take two staff Lt. Colonels
(Lt.Col Shelton was one, I can’t remember the other) to Seoul for the briefing.
His tasking had been almost immediately canceled by the 376th Strat Wing
command section, claiming that only the 376th had the responsibility and
command authority to task tankers at Kadena for such missions.

When the OL-8 Commander discovered he had been over-ridden, the story
had it that he picked up his secure phone in the OL-8 command post and
spoke to his contact in the Pentagon. Within less than an hour there was
reportedly a tasking order from the office of the Chief of Staff of the
Air Force to the 376th Strat Wing Commander tasking an OL-8 tanker for
a Code-3 tanker sortie to Seoul. (Probably never before, nor since, had
two Lt. Colonels been accorded the VIP status of Code 3 on a flight plan).During
my 376th Wg briefing, I was told that before landing at Seoul (due to its
short 9,000’ runway, blowing snow and 20 knot crosswinds) I would have
to call the 376th Command Post via HF radio or VHF/land-line patch and
obtain authority to land. If they deemed the weather and crosswinds too
severe, they would divert me to Yakota AFB and arrange a C-47 to make the
final delivery of the unidentified "Code 3". Having over 3000 hours on
the C-47 prior to my KC-135 assignment, I knew that if a KC-135 couldn’t
land at Seoul, then a C-47 certainly couldn’t either.

As luck would have it, upon arriving at Seoul for approach, we were
still too close to Kadena for effective HF communications and the Kimpo
Command Post (a non-SAC facility) had no land-line capability to reach
Kadena. I therefore used my "aircraft commander authority" and made the
decision to execute an approach and landing, since local weather conditions
were well within acceptable limits and my capabilities.To continue the
adventure, this mission was one that nearly resulted in my being court-martialed
due to series of mission irregularities and competitive jealousies between
the 376th Strat Wing DCO and the OL-8 operations. During my recent EC-47
tour in Vietnam, I had personally used Space Available travel and appreciated
the resource, so I wanted to help any fellow servicemen that I could. Being
well indoctrinated into the fine nuances of SAC operational regulations
from my recent training at SAC Central Flight Instructors Course for my
IP upgrade, I advised the Base Ops Dispatcher that I had an empty KC-135
returning to Okinawa in an hour and would be glad to take any Space-A that
were legal to manifest. Upon my return from the weather office and filing
my clearance, the Dispatcher informed me that I had "an Army 0-6 (Col.),
his wife, and two teen-age daughters manifested and already on board".
I figured, though unusual, if they were legally manifested, they were OK
by me. I gave them the obligatory pre-departure safety briefings and informed
them that we had no female facilities on board for the two-plus hour flight.
If that was OK with them, we would be off. Again, I was unable to make
any pre-launch contact with 376th Wing Command Post for launch authority,
but was within the alternate execution authority of my written orders,
so we launched for the routine return flight.

According to existing SAC policy, we were required to call the command
post about 45 minutes prior to landing and advise our maintenance status.
At that point, I was faced with two options. I could either taxi to the
MAC side of the ramp, shutdown my two left engines and deplane my passengers
down the crew ladder, then restart the engines and taxi to the SAC ramp,
OR I could request a SAC VIP staff car for the Colonel and his family from
the SAC ramp to the MAC terminal. The latter seemed the most efficient
and proper protocol. Upon landing and taxi-in, I was surprised to be met
by a jeep Follow-Me vehicle equipped with a manned 50-cal machine gun.
It directed me to taxi nose in to a steel revetment which I noted was manned
by several prone Security Police on the top of the revetment walls with
M-16 rifles at the ready. After engine shutdown and the main cargo door
was opened "without incident", boarding stairs were wheeled into place
and a white-top staff car pulled up with a SAC Colonel at the wheel. The
Army Colonel and his family were ushered to the staff car and I was informed
to report to the DCO’s office immediately upon completing maintenance debriefing!

At the DCO’s office I was read my UCMJ Rights to private counsel,
informed that I had broken every rule in the book, and that the Colonel
was contemplating Article 15 Action against me. My "unexecuted" landing
and return flight, followed by my "bizarre request for a staff car for
dependent passengers" was interpreted as a surreptitious attempt by me
to advise them that I had been sky-jacked. This explained my greeting with
the Follow-Me vehicle and revetment. Since this was not the case, I was
informed that no tanker is ever authorized to carry dependent passengers.
I explained the training I had just received and the interpretation that
current SAC regs stated that: 1) The prohibition on carrying dependents
applies only within the CONUS; 2) The prohibition against carrying passengers
applies only on refueling sorties, and 3) The restriction against an aircraft
commander carrying Space-A VIPs, otherwise authorized under Air Force regs,
applies only in regard to generating a special mission for the sole purpose
of that VIP’s travel. None of these restrictions applied to the circumstances
at hand. Although I effectively explained my actions, I was dismissed from
the DCO’s office still unsure if court martial charges would be pressed,
and whether or not my recent selection for promotion to Major had just
been voided.

Only with the support of the OL-8 commander and his relay up the
chain of command to Beale (and Offutt) was this matter finally decided
in my favor, after keeping me on the hot seat for nearly 72 hours. A comment
was subsequently overheard that the OL-8 commander was so incensed by the
action of the 376th DCO that he, "would love to have an immediate opportunity
to deny an Army O-6 with enough seniority to have wife and dependents in
Korea a ride on a SAC aircraft based on the specific order of this egotistical
DCO"!

Tue,
02 Sep 1997 09:01 Col (Ret) William L. Spacy Writes:
Just
found you Web Page and it's great. I've been a friend of the Blackbird
since it was still so top secret we didn't know what it looked like! I
was in the 903rd Air Refueling Squadron from 1963 until 1971. We refueled
the Bird before SAC took over and after. I saw my first view of the A-12
in mid-1964 and it was right out of Buck Rogers. I'll never forget that
day.

I knew all of the original players both at the Farm and at Beale.
I was a navigator on the KC-135 and later an aircraft/ aircrew scheduler.
I left Beale for Sac Hqtrs and then to U-tapao with the U-2, as a planner.
I returned to Beale in 1973 as a SR-71 planner, then the Wing Exec under
Col.
Pat Holloran, and then moved on to become the 9th Avionics Squadron
Commander. I left Beale for Zweibrucken AB, Germany where I worked as a
Maint. Control Officer, Asst DCM etc.

Like you I never got tired of watching the SR-71 operate, from the
take off to the landing it could always turn my head. Thanks for bringing
back a lot of memories.

Wed,
3 Sep 1997 15:50: Jim FitzgeraldWrites:
I was a Lockheed civilian flight tester in the early days, 1964-66, and
worked on all things electrical on the SR. Came back to her in 84 at Palmdale
where I met the late Joe Vida, Tom Tilden, B.C. Thomas,
Flaps Flannigan, and a whole bunch of other people. Going to Reno
air races next week where I always run into Jeff
Trundy and Ernie Shippen, who have
a big display of SR stuff in their camp. I was at Eglin with the test bird
in 1966. We did some $%^&*(#@^%$ test flights, then put her (2005,
17954) in the cold wx hangar, incidentally inside another, temporary hangar,
built inside the cold wx facility. Ran the usual cold wx series of tests.
When we ran engines, they sucked so much air into the hangar that the auxiliary
hangar air inlets opened, and clouds formed in the hangar, and it Snowed!
We couldn't run for long, cause the temp rose rapidly when those aux inlets
opened. Never could figure out why the USAF built their cold wx test facility
in Florida.

I wasn't working the program in '74, but if you remember, the Farnborough
flight line looked like a Lockheed advertisement, with the SR-71, C-5,
P-3, L-1011, etc. all there. I flew over as part of the test crew on the
L-1011, and Kelly Johnson came with us. I
met Bill Machorekand
Jim
Sullivan at the Lockheed chalet. One of our crewmembers used to
work with the Georgia Co. and knew the C-5 crew. I got to go up through
the vertical fin of the C-5 out onto the horizontal stab, where I took
a photo looking down on 17972. Those KGB guys weren't very discrete around
that airplane, were they? Brit newspapers are much like our tabloids, and
the SR made giant headlines. They couldn't believe that she smashed the
record set by the Concorde. Wish now I had saved one of those papers! Also,
imagine my surprise upon returning to the (still testing) program in '84
to find that 17972 was replacing 17955 as the primary flight test airplane.
I monitored her last flight to the Smithsonian, have a T-shirt which celebrates
that event, and we actually could see her at altitude and at speed (knowing
exactly where she was helped) as the crew dumped a tiny bit of fuel going
through the gate over LA. The pre-dawn takeoff out of Palmdale was, well,
a pre-dawn takeoff, one of the most spectacular sights to be seen by man.
I know Bob Gilliland who made the first flight,
Bill
Weaver, who as the company acceptance pilot, I believe may be the
only man who ever flew ALL of the SR's. Jim Halsell,
who recently commanded a space shuttle mission, was the last USAF test
pilot to check out in the airplane, and I'll never forget his comments
in the debrief after his first real test flight. "It's the only airplane
I have flown in the USAF inventory that will do all and more than the manual
says." These comments made in 1990 when the airplane was 26 years old!
Bill Weaver, of course, is a walking miracle,
having survived the breakup of 61-7952 over NM in 65, and not ejecting,
but being torn out of his straps. His seat was still in the wreckage when
recovered. I got to run engines once under the close supervision of a qualified
engineer. What a thrill. What a machine. When it rained on the flight line
at Edwards, it was the only airplane we didn't get under for shelter. Who'd
trade water for JP-7?

I share your view of experiencing a takeoff--after being away for
all those years, that airplane never failed to provide a thrill when the
burners lit and off she went, pounding your chest with her power. Glad
to see she will return to Beale this month at least for a flyby. Greatest
airplane in the world.

Thu, 20 Nov 1997 16:51 Leland, you just keep amazing me with that
page. After reading Rich Graham's
comments on the J.T. Vida fund, I'd just like to add my dittos. Joe
Vida was a great guy and a pleasure to work with. He was down to
earth, was probably the best test RSO the USAF ever had, and it was a tragedy
that he died so young, like the Blackbird itself. Keep up the good work
and Happy Thanksgiving to you. I tell all the guys I know who worked on
the bird to check your page. See that Tom Pugh contributed.
We talk often.

Tue,
10 Dec 1996 18:32:I was one of the brown uniformed men at the gates and
entrances in Area 51. I was there from 63 to 68 at which time I went to
Florida. I was part of the A-11 group. Yes, I would like a picture of the
Drone. Send it to : Address deleted. Also I saw the 1995 reunion patch.
Are these for the service people or was the reunion for anyone connected
to the project?

Thanks again, J. Hall

Fri, 13 Dec
1996 15:59: Great display of the finest aircraft EVER. I was a test engineer
on the SR-71 at Lockheed Rye Canyon, CA in the late "60s" when it was a
super secret. Thanks for giving Kelly Johnson
and the "Skunk Works" the credit they deserve.

WHAT A FANTASTIC webpage. You must enter it in the page of the year
contest if there is one.

J. Blevins

Tue,
29 Apr 1997 00:55:03 I was an air traffic controller in the USAF from 1969-1973.
From 9/70-9/71, I was stationed at U-Tapao, Thailand. Normally we didn't
talk to the SR's, but we knew they were in the area because we would receive
"secret" messages to block 45,000 and above for "high priority aircraft."
Of course we were the SAC base with B-52's and KC-135's. Apparently refueling
was the mission overhead because the tankers would call for landing saying
they were 10 miles north, but they would be at FL350+, certainly an odd
reporting point.

One day an aircraft popped up saying that he had a hydraulic failure
and was coming in an emergency. I routinely asked for souls on board to
which he replied two. I then asked what TYPE aircraft there was no response.
I had to ask several more times before the pilot replied that he was a
B-66. That was all that I needed to know and relayed the info to the tower
(I was working radar approach control). Upon arrival the tower called me
and said, "Nice B-66." The tower then told me to look outside. Traffic
was slow so we peeked outside our trailer and there it was: the SR-71 rolling
out. I can still feel the chills I felt then when I first saw it.

Our base only had one hangar and it was used to paint the B-52's,
but whatever project was going on in there got cancelled being shoved outside
hurriedly so the SR could taxi in without breaking stride. The hangar was
directly across from the outdoor mailroom so plenty of guys were taking
pictures only to have the film confiscated by the SP's I was told. Fixed,
it left the next day.

Shortly thereafter a special call sign was designated for the SR
whenever it came to town. It was either "Royal Crown" or "Crown Royal"
I can't remember which. When we heard the call sign we were to know that
it was an SR and that it was coming in as an emergency and not to ask any
questions.

Just before my first "Crown Royal" call-in we had a directive to
let the Thai controllers get more involved. They were our assistant controllers
normally, but someone wanted them to do more, like run the precision radar
approaches which we had been doing. When the "Crown Royal" flight showed
up we didn't change procedures and let the Thai controller start the precision
approach which quickly brought a call from Charlie Tower (SAC flightline
tower) rescinding the request on the spot. The Colonel wanted a GI to run
the approaches.

U-Tapao was also the home for the U-2 which launched daily which
also drew a crowd from us approach controllers. Of course being along side
the runway gave us a vantage point that few people have been fortunate
to have.

Do controllers qualify for admission to the Blackbird group?

I've enjoyed reliving my story. I'll be back to visit your site for
two reasons: the subject matter is most interesting and the web design
is outstanding as well.

Thanks, Bill Fauth

13
Apr 1997 10:40:My name is Bryan Romine being
new at computers and this internet thing, I have done alot of exploring
and was very surprised at the amount of SR-71 materials on the internet.
I'm most impressed with your web page of all the ones I've visited, yours
is the best. I was a 42755 Air Frame Repair Specialist (sheetmetal) on
the SR-71, U-2, KC-135Q, and the T-38 at Beale AFB from 1976-1979 with
the 9th Field Maintenance Squadron. Msgt Bassett
was my shop chief but you may know Tsgt Hamm (sorry
I can't remember his first name) from what I was told when I arrived at
Beale he was with the SR-71 from the time of its development at Edwards
to its location at Beale. He spent 18 years of his time in the Air Force
on the SR-71 he knew that aircraft forward and backwards. I think he retired
in 1979 or 1980. Anyway he was my training officer. Most of my time was
spent TDY at Kadena in Okinawa and Osan in Korea. My favorite war story
was told to me in Okinawa was the "Official Habu Fishhook Story" I really
enjoyed that one. I was sad when the Air Force retired the SR-71 (also
made me feel old) but learning from your web page was thrill to learn that
at least some are still flying. It was a mistake to get rid of a record
setting aircraft that's still more advance than many modern jets. I interested
in this Blackbird Association any details you may have about it are welcomed.Bryan RomineE-Mail: bromine@ainop.com

"The Official Habu Fishook Story"

I had learned about it on my first TDY to Okinawa. We were
having a in-processing meeting in a room when I notice a large white sign
with a picture of a SR-71 painted on it, also painted in large letters
thewords Official Habu Fishhook. There was also another picture
near it with five or six gentlemen in it next to the fishhook sign and
a black ship anchor. Below the picture was the words (I can't remember
the exact words) five or six men who dared in the night. I was curious
and asked about the story behind the pictures and this is the story told
to me.The compound where the SR's were hangered a few feet down the same
road was a Naval headquarters building. In front of this building
on display was a huge ship anchor painted white. In the dead of night these
gentlemen got together and decided to help the Navy out by painting the
same anchor completely black and hung the same sign I saw in the briefing
room on the anchor. From what I was told the next morning when the
Navy saw it they were not too happy about the new paint job. But
the sign and a picture of the commando team was re-hung in the briefing
room as a trophy. It wasn't an exciting tale but it amused me enough
to remember it all these years. I saw the anchor myself and realized it
must have taken most of the night to paint it, and they did it without
getting caught. Who knows maybe a member of the team will see this and
contact you to give you better details about the raid.

When the SR-71 lands, the Drag Chute is deployed to slow the aircraft
down to taxi speeds. Then, a pickup truck races down the runway and picks
up the Drag Chute, returning it to maintenance operations for repack. Once
upon a time at a remote operating location a few devious Crew Chiefs of
the Blackbird banded together to frag a pilot. It seems this particular
pilot (name withheld) was of mind and attitude of being quite superior
to all lower grade maintenance personnel and he had this particular
air about him that definitely was out of step with how other pilot's treated
Crew Chiefs. The camaraderie between pilots (Habu's) of the Sr-71 and ground
maintenance personnel was always first rate. The rapport was always without
question one of a friendly relationship. During the preflight and preparation
for this pilot's flight the drag chute was loaded into the chute bay. A
few nights earlier several Crew Chiefs had contacted the Women's (WAF)
barracks and requested some unmentionable items for a priority project
concerning the Blackbird. Gleefully, the ladies knew that something was
up and a quantity of items was secured for the project. The Drag Chute
was loaded into the SR-71 along with white pieces of clothing packed around
the encased Drag Chute. Upon landing and subsequent pilot deployment of
the chute (which is Orange), the chute deployed as normal and also a quantity
of White Items flew all over the runway. The Transient Alert person in
the chase truck inquired to the pilot of the Blackbird, if he wanted him
to also pick up all the white items. His response was silence. At debriefing
the pilot inquired as to what the white items were deployed on the runway."
Ladies Underwear, Sir" was the response. Had it not been for some fast
talking by the Maintenance Superintendent, some disciplinary action would
have been taken against those involved. However, the message was clear:
pilot's attitude adjusted and the Drag Chute compartment was never again
packed with anything other than the Chute. First hand knowledge of this
episode is denied by the author.

Wed,
16 Jul 1997 10:49:Great page!! Fell in love with the SR while a young 1Lt
at Wright-Pat back in 1981 (or was it 82?). At any rate, I was an 8054
(air intell type) and worked on a special project to bring an SR to Dayton,
Oh for the first ever appearance at the Dayton Air show. This may have
been the first ever Air show appearance in the US (I think the Paris Air
Show was the first public appearance of the SR). Well, it flew over the
crowd and the folks went wild. We recovered at Wright-Pat, met the crew
with a pickup truck full of beer and a couple of blondes and had a party
I will never forget!! Six months of planning every detail for the recovery
of the airplane, the advance KC that came in with the maintenance guys
and the weird JP-7 (?) fuel all came to good fruition. It was the highlight
of my 11 1/2 years as a blue suiter. Now I'm a GS-13 in Japan, still going
to Yokota once in awhile, hoping to see a Habu on the ramp. Take care.
Your page has made my day. Sincerely, Mark H. Polansky
(ex-Capt, USAF)

Thu,
2 Jan 1997 17:46: Loved discovering your web page. Having served in the
USAF as a Security Specialist stationed at Kadena, I can attest to your
pure delight in watching that a/c take off. We'd have people lined all
around perimeter road to watch the show. It is just such an awesome plane.
I recall one time at night posted under a runway approach when I began
to hear the roar of an incoming, never did see a thing until it was right
on top of me, and the only way I knew it was Habu was that little red revolving
light on the belly outlined just enough of it. Gives me goosebumps just
thinking about, and an immense source of pride telling my friends about
it. What a plane!

Thanks, keep up the good work.

Note: Name Withheld

Wed,
29 Jan 1997 14:04: Tim MillerWrites:
Just visited your home page. Wow! I have just started searching the web
for SR-71 info a couple of days ago, and am surprised at the number of
sites that have information and pictures.

Anyway, I was at Beale in the 9th OMS from 73 to 75 and have written
to Jack regarding joining the Blackbird Association. I will be anxious
to receive information on how I might contact others that I served with
during my tour there and joining the association.

I was stationed at Beale AFB 1977-79 with the 9th AMS and would be
interested in becoming a member.

Thanks,

Marc Weiss

Wed, 12 Feb
1997 01:45:C. Wassall Writes: Really enjoyed
your site.

Didn't have time to look everywhere, but I've added it to my bookmarks.
I worked for Kelly@skunk 64-66 on this bird, and could tell some stories....had
a chance to commute to the ranch and turned it down, to my everlasting
shame. By the way, I have an issue of Air Progress from '62,before subsequent
classification with detail shots showing rotary bombay, etc. I haven't
seen "aurora "(sic) but I've heard it....putt...putt....putt

Sat,
15 Feb 1997 22:40: Did I understand you to mean that the book written by
Abe (Kardong) will actually be published? If so, I think it would be a
"must read". If you have any details of the book or its publication please
let me know! Abe, once told this story, of flying a B-58 with only the
upper component pod attached. "550kts. over the field, tower gives me "to
the moon clearance" pull to vertical, complete an immelman at 36,000 ft.
Now that's a bomber." God, I wish I would have had a chance to meet him.

David L. Klinzing

Wed, 26 Feb
1997 01:44: Dick Pfeiffer Writes: I feel what
you have contributed in your Web Page is immeasurable. I worked with you
at Beale & Det 1 in the early 70's.I launched the back up the
night of your speed run.I am currently caring for SR-71 #960 at
the Castle Air Museum and would love to talk to you.

Fri,
28 Feb 1997 20:35:My grandfather was Col. H. A. Templeton,
he worked back and forth from the pentagon to the Skunk Works operation.
He has flown the Blackbird several times. Now he is retired, and still
loves planes, but unfortunately he does not have the internet yet, so in
his interest I am writing this letter. One day when I was surfing the internet
I came across your web page and thought it would be fun to look over it
and other material on the subject. I am now very interested in the Blackbird.
Ever since my brother started his major in aviation at OSU. I have
been very interested in the subject-I don't want to be a pilot but I still
like to research the subject. I told my friends about your web page and
showed them what I had printed off and they were totally amazed at the
power of this plane-no one believed me that a plane could go 3+ the speed
of sound!! I thank you very much for creating this web page, my grandfather
will be very pleased to see some of this material!! Thanks again.Mary
Pat Lehman ( Granddaughter of Col. H. A. Templeton)

Sat,
1 Mar 1997 10:41: Greatly enjoyed your page. My father-in-law is a retired
AF bird colonel who spent a majority of his time riding around the back
seat of SR-71's. 65-66 at EDW, 67-73 or 74 at Beale. His name is Cecil
H. Braeden. The in-laws have invited me to the SR reunion this year,
except that I just got a job as a part-time Learjet FO, and I have two
of my former flight students graduating from USAFA in May, so I don't think
I can take the time off to go. Love to talk to you (e-mail) though.

Tom Fazekas

Tue,
18 Mar 1997 05:28: Mr. Paul E. WatkinsWrites:
Please
send me information about joining your organization. I am also interested
in finding some old friends that I served with in the 9th.

Sat,
22 Mar 1997 14:44:Ronald J. De Lozier, MSgt, USAF(Ret)Writes:
Hi. I was a crewchief on the blackbird from 1967 to 1971. Specifically,
I was the second crewchief on "ICHI BON" 974. I was also on the first team
that went to OL-8 at Kadena in Okinawa, where 974 got the title of No.
1. A lot of firsts are attributed to 974, among them the first to be towed
backward with engines running, the first complete combat sortie in southeast
asia. I noted in your bibliography, I was in the program before you were.
An interesting note, when we only had two aircraft at Beale, one was flying,
the other took off, and the third was in the air from Palmdale, a 2nd LT
called maintenance control on the radio, and proudly informed them "The
Fleet is Airborne". Like you, working on the Blackbird was at times frustrating,
exasperating, long days, but a tremendous amount of pride, being able to
wear the blue bump hat that said crew chief on it. My e-mail address is
attached to this letter. Like to hear from you if possible. Really like
your website. Sincerely,

Wed,
26 Mar 1997 12:12: Pat Halloran, Major General, USAF
(Ret) Writes: Just found your web page
and was very impressed with what you have put together. A person can be
educated and entertained for hours! Very well done and my congratulations
on your research skills. Your story of the speed runs to Europe and return
in 1973 brought back many memories. By the way, in the female flight category
you might want to add the only other name, Congress-lady Beverly Byron,
who took a ride in the B model in November of 1985. I've forgotten which
state she was from, but her picture is in one of the SR books that I've
got around here somplace. Cheers and hope to see you at Reno.

Pat Halloran, Major General, USAF (Ret)

Pilot (U-2 and SR-71), 9th SRW Commander

1/2/97
14:46 Enjoyed your site very much. I was an AP/SP with 456 CDS at Beale
from Oct 65 to Oct 66. I believe it was about Dec. 65 when the first operational
SR came in, and I went down to the flightline sometime after midnight to
see it. It was quite a rush to walk into a lighted hangar and see the exhaust
end of that black aircraft. I did not always appreciate my 'military experience'
but the SR has given me some of my finest memories. I went back to Beale
in 1990 for the first time since 1966 with my children and showed them
the SR that was then on display; also went over to the museum and bought
the Lockheed video tape which I watch occasionally--great photography!
I always regretted not 'requisitioning' one of the Lockheed 'Mach 3+' coffee
cups that I saw back in '66. Do you know if similar items are available
today? Don't know if any of this qualifies me for the Blackbird group;
if it does, would you please advise? Thank you for doing up the site. It's
nice to know that some of those experiences back then are remembered by
others.

Tom Casey

Sat,
05 Apr 1997 Jerry A. MillerWrites:
Recently stumbled on your excellent work, producing the SR-71 Web Site,
while looking for stuff on the D-21 Drone for one of my Grandsons.I fondly
remember my years at "The Area" while working on the D-21 project as ramjet
and APU development engineer. I'll never forget the first time I saw and
could walk up to and climb on the Mother A-12. I suppose "love" is an inappropriate
word for my relationship to that wonderful machinery, but that's how I
express my feelings about it.T hanks, very much, for the photo. It's one
I did not have. It occurs to me that, in your tenure at Beale, you may
have known of the D-21 Drone operations using the B-52 as a launch vehicle.
I spent a short time (4 or 5 days) there training maint. crews in ramjet
operation theory and maint procedures. I left Marquardt shortly after that
and lost all contact with Beale operations. I met some great kids and have
wondered about them ever since. I don't recall any names. I'm wondering
if you know of any contact within that group that maintains a history or
a contact list? Thanks for any info you may be able to dig up.

Thanks for your help in preserving an important part of history and
of my life.

Best Regards, Jerry A. Miller

Fri,
25 Apr 1997 08:56: Royce G. Colding (Msgt, Ret)Writes:
Just found your website this morning, it is great to say the least. I served
in the 9th SRW from Nov. 70 until about Mar 74. I was originally assigned
to the SLR shop, but in early 1971 I went over to Job Control in Wing Hqs.
The tour of duty at Beale AFB was the highlight of my career. I spent all
26yrs in the same AFSC (Sensor Systems). I am now retired here in Aurora,
CO.

Again let me say how wonderfully surprised I was to have found your
site. I will spend quite a bit of time on it, recalling those days of yesteryear,
borrowing a phrase from the "Lone Ranger" radio series.

Thu, 20 Nov 1997 08:38: I was just revisiting your excellent site.
I think I enjoy it more each time I log-on. I notice that on my message
of 04-25-97 I forgot to include my e-mail address, which is rcold36@aol.com.
Since I last visited I have read Col. Graham's
book "SR-71 Revealed". This is a must read for all of us, tremendous book
about our favorite plane. Again thanks for all the effort/time you have
spent creating/maintaining this wonderful site.

Sat,
03 May 1997 22:00: I found the site most interesting being a former AF
motion picture photographer, Air Intelligence Technician, and Retired US
Army Military Intelligence Warrant Officer.

During 1966, I was photographing a movie of the various facilities
at Eglin to include the Climatic Lab (SR-71) parked in front. I was instructed
by my supervisor before my photo mission to NOT photograph the plane or
its shadow as it was classified. Well I followed his advice as was still
apprehended by the AP's. After the film was processed in the Parks photo
lab and viewed by the AP's, the AP's went their merry way.

Converted to Intelligence in 1967 and was later assigned to the SAC
Recon Center at Offutt. Monitored the SR-71 world speed records set between
the US and England and the England to LA return trip while assigned at
Offutt.

Beautiful aircraft. Keep up the good work.

Jim Brogdon

Mon,
19 May 1997 03:06 Gary H. VetetoWrites:
I watched a program on "The Learning Channel" a while back about the need
for speed. They had an original test pilot on telling a few "old" stories
about the SR-71's early days. Great show... Enjoyed your web page, very
well done. Now to the important stuff. I still have a 3+ coffee mug, but
my old OL-8 hat wore out years ago. Where can I locate a good looking hat?
Any help appreciated.

Mon,
16 Jun 1997 16:19: Stopped by your page to visit an old friend.......you
have done a nice job. My father is Lt Col Bill (the
bear) Corbin, he is now in Chico and enjoying retirement. I grew
up with the jet from our days in Vegas and the test site, and we were there
when Haupt and Nelson brought the first bird
to Beale. Now I run a CBS television in Chico CA and over the years have
taken many photos for a company Im involved with called MACH 1. My friend
published Sled Driver and then Untouchables, both written by Brian
Shul. It was fun showing the manuscript to Ben
Richat a Black bird reunion a few
years ago......I still spend time at Beale doing stories on the planes
and people so that no one ever forgets......take care.

As a child it was my dream to fly fighters in the Air Force. Unfortunately,
a birth defect of my heart prevented me from fulfilling this dream. So,
I have spent the better part of 29 years reading, studying photos of, and
building models of airplanes.

I will never forget the moment that I first discovered the HABU during
my research. I was mesmerized! You didn't even have to look at the stats
to know it was fast! But, your BlackBird has always had a very lasting
impression on me. First, the record setting New York to London trot. Secondly,
I built a 1/48 scale model of her which brought me several ribbons in fine
scale model shows.

Also, as a member of the Civil Air Patrol I had the good fortune
of getting to work with a BlackBird driver. Colonel
Monty (Ty) Judkins served as the Tennessee wing liaison officer
just before his retirement from the Air Force. I am not sure when Col.
Judkins was at Beale. But I am thinking it was probably just after or right
at the end of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. I say this because I know he
flew BUFFS (B-52's) during the war then transferred to the 9th. He was
a wonderful person and was always more than willing to share what information
that he could. I remember showing him the weather briefing material that
I was about to passalong to a Search and Rescue aircrew one morning.
The entire time he was reading the info he stood there shaking his head.
Finally, I could stand it no longer, I had to ask if there was a problem
with the information. He raised his head then chuckled. He told me that
he was having trouble reading the report from the flight service station
because it had been so long since he had done so. He said, "We never had
to worry about weather because we were always above it in the SR-71". A
point that has stuck with me to this day!

I would like to thank you for helping me find a little more of my
dream! Keep up the good work with the page.

Thanks David L Finchum

5/22/97
9:55 Saw them several times at U.K. airshows, such as Mildenhall and Fairford.

The most stunning site was an early morning take off on full afterburner
in rain, wonderful!

Pity my camera was still in my bag.

I think your website is the best I have visited keep up the good
work

Regards, S. Croft

Tue,
15 Jul 1997 23:34: I was there too during 1974 to 1976. I was in the sim
room when Col Storrie and the crews were planning
the record breaking flights. I worked in the hospital and later did some
work related to lessening stress on pilots in combat.

The time at Beale will always bring a smile to my face. It was an
exciting time that will likely never be repeated. Regards,

Richard Linder, DDS (Capt.)

Mon, 18 Aug
1997 14:02 Allen L. HedgeWrites: I
just looked at you web site and I'm very impressed. It seems we bothare
in love with the same Aircraft. I was stationed at Beale from April
1967until Nov 1970. I was in the 9th OMS and worked on SR-71
#964 most of thetime.I have sent a note to Jack Madison
for more information on the Blackbird Association.Thanks for a
great web site.

Tue,
19 Aug 1997 11:07: While flying KC-135Qs in the 903rd AREFSq in support
for the SR-71 missions in SEA, the tanker crews routinely pulled TDY at
Kadena AB, Okinawa for six weeks at a time followed by 12 weeks at home
at Beale and/or doing other SAC type TDY. The "deployer missions" to Kadena
occurred every week as two crews and one tanker relocated to Okinawa and
another came home. These trips were always flown full of passengers and
cargo in the form of TDY support personnel for both tankers and SRs, and
related baggage and supplies. SR crewmembers periodically made the trip
on their longer-term rotations. Every trip staged through Hickam AFB in
Hawaii, where the weather was always hot and humid. On our westbound departure
out of Hickam, we were always fuel limited due to the combination of passenger/cargo
weight, hot weather, and limiting max gross weight for the runway length
available. With water-injected J-57 engines, and a 285,000 lb max take-off
weight for the KC-135Q, we had to do a static take-off with all four engines
taking water and reaching take-off thrust before we released the brakes.
Invariably, the end of the runway would pass under the nose before we rotated,
and the noise abatement procedure over Waikaki Beach required that we rotate
with an almost immediate 15° right bank followed by a steepening to
30° as soon as the gear was up — quite a hairy maneuver for a heavy
airplane! On one such departure, I had an SR-71 pilot riding the jump seat.
Once we got airborne, I looked over my shoulder to chat with him only to
find him sitting there with ashen face. He made a comment to the effect
that after all his hot SR-71 take-offs, "I never want to do that (sit in
the jump seat out of Hickam) again!!!".

Sun,
24 Aug 1997 13:32: William D. Hopper,SSgt USAFWrites:Hi,
I think the webpage is great.I was assigned to the 9th FMS at Beale from
1979-1981.I was TDY to Kadena AB in Okinawa. It was the best time of my
career in the Air Force. I was one of the people in AGE (Aerospace Ground
Equipment) that built the custom engine start carts (the OD green with
the engines chromed out) for the SR-71.This page is great. Thanks for reminding
me what a great time I had working around the SR-71.

William D. Hopper,SSgt USAF 1978-1988

SUPER

INTERNET

SITE.

Thanks for some great memories ...

Les Dyer,

SR-71 Pilot 1981 - 1985

24
Aug 1996 03:07 Ron Fulks Writes: I was assigned
to the 9th OMS 1973-to the end of 1974. Started off E-2 or E-3 and left
as E-4 (43151C ) ( man it has been a long time since I tried to remember
my AFSC) ..... Names I remember at the time.... MSgt
Ed Roper, SMSgt Pojewleski(sp) (Pogo)
who was running the line when I came in, MSgt Deweese
was
the first shirt, TSgt Phil Sage was there,
all OMS troops.... ( Other names, Amn Kane,
Sgt Rasco, SSgt Allen)
(I remember MSgt Haynes (Sorry MSgt Haynes,
not the face but the name) and I know that I worked for him on the line
for awhile.....( didn't you run the post flight crew? or was it mids (preflight)
I just stumbled across MSgt Haynes home page on the net..... I fondly remember
the time spent in the 9th, even the time at Kadena (did two trips while
I was assigned) and was interested in information you might have available
on the Blackbird Association. I have only recently come onto the internet,
and even more recently started reestablishing contacts with folks I served
with.....As you can see from my E-mail address (habu73@ccnet.com) I have
always felt that the time spent on the SR-71 was one of the most interesting
times of my life. Thanks for the web page MSgt Haynes,
and Mr.Madison
I will look forward to any
information that you can forward to me concerning the Blackbird Association.

Sun Aug 25 19:58 Thanks so much for the response! Jack
Madison has also responded, and I have sent him my address. I am
in Antioch, Cal. which is my hometown. I have lost track of all the folks
that I knew in the unit with the exception of Jim
Rasco, he is now up in Washington. Like a lot of GI's who got out
in the 70's I spent time not acknowledging that I was in the military.
Only very recently , in the last year or so, (since I went online) have
I started to find veterans groups that I felt like I had something in common
with..... Its kind of funny to find information like your page on the internet.
Your page is really well done, with loads of good, solid info.....and no
bs.... but it brings back memories of the time when we would have shot
someone for taking the pictures <grin>...has it really been twenty plus
years? wow! Now I have a collection of pictures from the web on my screen
at work and here at home of the SR that were so darn classified then .....
like I said....wow....a couple more names came to mind, MSgt
Maloof , A1C TRC Smith (who I think
is down at Travis working as a civilian contractor on the C141's and C5's)
Like most of the young troops coming in I started working in the phase
inspection area, then went out on the line for awhile, then Oki a couple
times..... I left the unit at the end of 74. I am going to DC in November,
for Veterans Day, and I am hoping to see 972 that is back there for the
Air and Space Museum..( I am not sure if it is on display yet)